Heart Of A Huntress
by ShadowhuntingDamphir2014
Summary: My name is Rosemarie Hathaway. I am the Huntress.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! This is a quick A/N. This is my second story and I'm hoping it will do a little better than my other fanfiction, 'Never Walk Alone'. I hope you like this one and was actually inspired by some longer stories way back in the archives. Enjoy!**

**~ShadowhuntingDamphir2014**

The Heart of a Huntress

Chapter 1

My name is Rose Hathaway. When I was 17 years old, I became the last known Huntress. I wasn't born into what I am, I was chosen. The last chosen Huntress, before me, was Anna. Each Huntress has one distinguishment, oh, and the tattoo that magically appears. Anna was known for her speed. I, unfortunately, would be the odd one out with many distinguishments. I have speed, strength, voice, healing, and appearance. I became a Huntress by one major factor though. My bravery.I became a Huntress when I ran back inside the cave for Dimitri. At least, that's when it started. Here's how it played out.

"Rose! You can't go back in there. Dimitri is dead! We have to go." My mother screamed as she tried to restrain me. She was finally atempting to be my parent. "Stan, I need help!" My mother yelled over her shoulder.

Guardian Stan Alto came to help my mom, but her palms were sweaty and I sliped from her grasp before Alto could grab me. On my way inside, I picked up an extra stake from a fallen guardian, whom I didn't recognize. As I rounded the bend, I saw the blond Strigoi and yelled at him.

"Hey prick! It's your turn to tango. Now get your ass over here and dance!" I'm sure he could feel the fury that radiated from my body. My stance was filled with rage.

"Well, if it isn't my dear Rosemarie. Did I bite someone you love? I guess I should say 'my bad,' but it's really a pleasure. Ha, I think you would enjoy being one of us. Feeling the life in someone's blood flow between your teeth and down your throat. You would like it my dear." the Stigoi spoke. I don't think I ever caught his name. Not that it mattered much now.

"I think not you little pussy." I glared at him. He might think his words phased me, but honestly, nothing much did anymore. If it did phase me, it had to do with Lissa or Dimitri.

Before he could register what happened, I was in motion, grabbing his throat in between my fingers, slamming his body against the cave wall as if he weighed nothing at all. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at me. I saw a faint glow surrounding me in the reflection of his eyes, but I didn't have time to ponder that. "Choose your last words wisely." I said to him. His words held no meaning to me at the time. "You can't be." He muttered just as my stake slid cleanly between his ribs, piercing the blackened heart beneath. Then to my own amazement, I took my stake ou tof the holster on my thigh and effortlessly punctured through his skull. The stake slid through with no resistance and bit into the rock behind his head. Disturbingly satisfied with the gruesome sight, I turned my attention to Dimitri's still form that lay on the cave floor. I grabbed his left wrist and frantically felt for a pulse. I was rendered heartbroken and shattered. The pulse, or any sign of life, and therefore my hope, was not present. I tried administering CPR, but it was unaffective. I proceeded to crawl toward his head and gently craddled it, easily resting his head on my lap as I bent over him crying. I spent much time listening to the fights around me, but I was in my own world. I sat there, softly stroking his paling cheeks as I singly, and silently, mourned the loss of my beloved. The top of his head tenderly brushed my breasts as my body convulsed with sobs. Of all the things this cruel world could take from me, it had to be Dimitri. It had to be him because, apart from Lissa, I had nothing else to live for. Was this the universe's way of telling me there is no room for love and distractions in my line of work? It must have been, but I've never been one to listen before. Why start now?

In that moment, I decided that I would finish my training at St. Vladimir's and then strike out on my own, avenging my Russian angel. Lissa would be safe at court. Dimitri would be pissed to know that and it brought a very minute smile to my lips. But he was taken from me. Right from my hands. I let out a small chuckle at the thought of an upset Russian. I had faced it many times before and I laughed then to. I could hear faint whispers around me, from the guardians and the few moroi, of "she's glowing" or "do you see the light around her?"

I felt someone grab my arms and try to pull me away from Dimitri's cold body. The keyword there was 'try.' I clung to his body for dear life. Then Alberta's voice rang clear in my ears.

"Rose, sweetie, we need to get back to the academy."

"No. I won't leave him here. He doesn't deserve to be left on a stone cold, dirt covered floor. He deserves to live, to feel the thrill of life as it runs in our viens! Dimitri deserves to grow old and remember his life like each event happened yesterday. He deserves so much more than this. If I would have been better... Faster... Stronger... His life wouldn't have slipped through my fingers. It's all my fault." Everytime I mentioned something he deserved, I found my hands banging on his chest glowing a bright red mixed with gold. "I deserve to take his place. He's dead because I wasn't good enough." I broke into uncontrollably hysterical sobs taht racked through my body like a river flows. After the tears subsided, I noticed the small crowd gathered around me. Most of the moroi had returned to the relative safety of the academy and the wards. I recognized my mother, Eddie, Christian, Stan, Alberta, Yuri and a fwe others. They all wore sorrowful looks on their faces, but they were just masks. False charades.

I looked toward the mouth of the cave and glimpsed the sun as it fell to the horizon. Dimitri wouldn't want me to sit here, wishing my life away so I could be with him again. He would want me to continue breathing. He would want me to fight for his memory. So I surprised my crowd by pushing my mourning to the side. I leaned forward once more, shielding his face from the on-lookers, and whispered the only thing I could think of.

"I love you."

Then I brushed the tenderest of kisses across his frozen lips, drained of their rosy red color. I heard many gasps, a collective gesture, and smiled slightly. I then brushedthe escaped strands of fallen hair from his forehead, reached up and unclasped my nazar, and put it to rest between his eyes. I kissed him one last time, our final goodbye, before Eddie and Christian were carrying me back towards the school. At the mouth of the cave, I turned around and said one last thing to Dimitri's body.

"I'll come back for you."

Then they took me back. Before we crossed over the wards, I saw Mason one last time. He wore a proud look and tried speaking, but sound was lost between us. I read his lips and thought he said "It has been an honor Huntress."

"Goodbye Mason." I whispered before exhaustion won the unwaged was, and I succumbed to darkness.

I awoke, presumably a few hours later, to find Dr. Olendzki, who I call doc, checking my vitals.

"You are one special young lady. How did you kill that Strigoi and then puncture the skull?" Doc asked.

"Quite easily. When can I leave? I have shit to deal with and stuff to do."

"I want to keep you overnight for observation and then you will e discharged in the morning."

I just nodded my head. Now that immediate death wasn't hanging over my shoulder, I let my tears run free over my cheeks. They cascaded down in sparkling silver lines. Doc looked at me sympathectically before recording my vitals and leaving the room. I spent the remainder of my waking hours crying and the slumbered hours dreaming of Dimitri or reliving the nightmare of losing him.

When Doc came in the morning, she wasn't alone. Kirova and Alberta each stood behind her, wearing grim expressions. I'm sure Alberta told Kirova about my stunt in the caves. Now they want to talk about it. But I wasn't going to tell them a damn thing. My relationship with Dimitri was none of their damn business. Doc removed my IV and said I was good to go with strict instructions to take it easy. I walked past Kirova and Alberta without muttering a single word. It was the human morning and we would be going back to get as many of our fallen as possible before the Moroi night began. I knew they were following me, but I couldn't give a rat's ass what they did. I walked right out the wards, down to the cave. When I got inside and around the bend that hid Dimitri from me, I found him leaning against the wall. I rushed over to him, utterly amazed that he had moved. As I neared his body, I could see his fingers twitch and hear his frantoc breathing. I pulled my stake from my holster, fearing the worst. But when he turned his head and opened his eyes, I saw the chocolate brown color that captivated me with every glimpse. Seeing his eyes, and not those of an undead monster, I dropped my stake and ran for him. About 5 feet from him, I dropped to my knees and slid the rest of the way to him. When our bdies collided, I heard his sharp intake of breath, meaning he was in immense pain, but our arms wrapped around each other so tightly. From his grasp, I could tell he never wanted to let me go, ever again. I never wanted to release him. I had already lost him once and I was not positive that I wasn't having a dream right now. But his voice, the one that had coddled me at my worst moments, whispered my name like a prayer.

I pulled back slightly to run my fingers over his face, making sure he was real and actually there with me. I ran my hands down his chest and abs. When I was confident that he wasn't going to disappear from my grasp, I moved faster than the speed of sound. Before he could try to protest I had his face held firmly between my hands, his lips captured by my own. I then moved my body to straddle his own, lifting myself up onto my knees to get closer to his face. We kissed with a passion that could only be rivaled by the ones during our escape in the cabin, but only barely. Our tounges grazed each others bottom lips, each of us wanting more, but not wanting to push it. I finally gave in and pulled back to look at him again. I noticed before that a little of his color had returned before, but after our kiss, he looked as if his life had never been claimed. He jerked back in surprise, eyes wide with shock.

"You're glowing Roza."

I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked in his eyes. There, I could see a reflection of myself, looking a mess. My clothes were torn to shreads and I had cuts all over my face and body. But what amazed us both was a glow coming from around me. Then I felt my body being lifted in to the air. I was freaking ou ton the outside but I couldn't bring myself to thrash around, or move for that matter. As my body twisted and turned in the air, Dimitri continuously looked at me with wonder. I had taken a few pretty nasty blows to the head and my hair had to be shaved off to get the antibiotics to them. I could feel my hair grow longer again, I could feel it cascading down to my ass. I was gently set down on the ground and I looked at my appearance. I had black short shorts on with fishnet stockings underneath. I also had thigh high black leather heeled boots. I had a black over the shoulder, mid-driff bearing shirt that hugged my curves in all the right places. With the circumstances, I was pretty hot. I looked down my right arm, the bare arm, and saw that I had glowing silver spirals intwined around a golden rose covering the entire arm, like a sleeve. I turned to look at Dimitri.

"What the Hell just happened?"

He was in shock and staring at me in amazement. He, painfully, got up and walked over to me. I grabbed him as he started to fall forward. I then saw blood sliding it's way down he chest. I looked up at Dimitri with terror in my eyes. He was loosing color again. I held him close to me and started to pull him back toward the mouth of the cave. It was there that Eddie and Stan saw me, struggling to carry Dimitri, and came running over.

"What happened Hathaway?" Stan asked with his signature scowl on his face.

"I have no fucking clue why the Hell I just magically flew into the air, had a complete wardrobe change, and now have tattoos all over my damn body Stan! I don't give a damn why either. Just, please, for once, help me. I need to get Dimitri back to the academy."

"But he's dead."

Dimitri lifted his head and gave Stan the scariest glare I have ever seen. Stan just about shit his pants right there.

"But... But... He died last night."

"Obviously not becasue he is right here, in front of you I might add, clinging to life. Get him to the God damned academy now!" I was about to throw a total bitch fit. Eddie moved to Dimitri's right and put his arm over his shoulders. Eddie helped me carry him back and as we crossed the wards, I started to yell for Lissa. After about 30 minutes of yelling, we got Dimitri to the infirmary and Lissa met me at the door.

"Liss, I'm not above begging you right now. Plase do this one thing for me and I will be forever in your debt."

"What do you need Rose?"

"Please heal Dimitri. Not all the way but enough to make the pain disappear. I will tell you everything later but please, do this for me. I can't stand to see him in pain and I spent all night thinking he was dead. Please."

"Okay, calm down. I'll give it a try."

Liss and I entered Dimitri's room, and she went over to stand by him. He turned his head to look at me, and I will admit just this once, I was crying. I didn't like seeing Dimitri in pain and I was, honestly, afraid Lissa's magic wouldn't help him. And my fears were confirmed when she turned to me.

"I'm sorry Rose. It's not working. He looks nothing like you described him to. What did you do in those caves?"

I don't remember doing anything more than... I gasped as my eyes went wide. Then I didn't waste a second. I ran to Dimitri's bed and bent over him kissing him with everything in me. I could feel a hum of magic running through my viens. Even with my eyes closed, I knew I was glowing by the gasps I heard from behind me. One being louder than others made me turn around, and then I saw Hell's demoness herself.

**So, what did y'all think? Do I need to write more of this story or leave it here as a open-ended one-shot? Sound off in the comments and please, feel free to review! I can't read your (possibly) evil minds. All I request is NO FLAMES! I'm aspiring to be a published author one day and everybody has to get their start somewhere. So, go ahead and type your little thoughts and click that button. That dangerous little button that says "post review."**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hey everybody! I know that this update is WAY overdue, but I have gotten really busy with the start of my senior year and all of my extracurricular taking time on my weekends, so it makes it hard to write... But I found time to get this done for my loyal readers! So, thank you for reading this chapter even though it is way past due. Hopefully, you will all like it, but so I know what you all want... You have to review! Thanks Y'all!**_

_**~ShadowhuntingDamphir2014~**_

Heart of a Huntress

Chapter 2

When my monster mother's mind came out of the stage of cerebral shock, she lunged for Dimitri, her talons (as I call them) outstretched and ready to pry the flesh from his bone. But, knowing her and having anticipation on my side, I jumped in front of him. I threw my arms out in front of me to protect us both, and blocked most of the attack, but not all of it. It ended with my mother attempting to choke me, with Lissa and Christian both trying to pry her hands away from my throat and screaming for help, as I bent backwards over Dimitri. My mother continuously released strangled snarls and guttural grunts. After 5 minutes or so, by which point I should have been a deep shade of purple and barely breathing, help arrived in the form of Mikhail Tanner and Eddie. They both pulled my mother off of me and Mikhail threw her outside the door, slamming it shut in her face. I slid to the floor, gasping for breath, while Eddie and Christian picked me up. Just before Lissa reached forward to heal me, I fell into the dark abyss that is unconsciousness.

When I woke, Lissa was siting beside me, holding my hand. I had to blink a few times, clearing my vision from the blinding lights above.

"I don't care if you are in a relationship with him but tell me one thing. Did he force you?" She whispered. I looked around to see that we were alone.

"What?" My stunned mind couldn't keep up at the moment. I guess I was in shock.

"Did Dimitri force you to have sex with him?"

"No, we haven't done anything like that. We only train." My voice became strained at the end and I know it cracked. "Liss, I love him."

She nodded her head and squeazed my hand briefly before letting it go. "Fine. I'm happy for you. Just don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart."

I didn't understand what she was doing and she left before I could ask. I sat in my bed, shocked, when Eddie came in. He knew the same as Lissa now, but I didn't have much confidence left after what Lissa did, which is unusual for me, because come on, I'm Rose Hathaway. He just looked at me with love, understanding, and a tiny shred of pain. Eddie didn't say anything, and that worried me more than what Lissa might be doing now. Eddie wasn't generally a quiet person unless he was pissed beyond belief or sleeping. And Eddie was clearly concious, in full control of what he did next. I didn't try to defend myself when his hand raised and suddenly came flying at my face. Next, I heard a sharp, crystal clear clap as his skin met with the flesh of my face. My head flew to the left as his hand came to rest at his side. Eddie slapping me was the least I deserved. He now knew why I couldn't be with Mason when he was alive. But then he started talking.

"Why the Hell would you do this is Mason? You knew how he felt about you!"

"Why do you think I couldn't be with him Eddie? I didn't love him that way. You and Mason were my best friends, aside from Lissa. You two were my brothers. You, Mason, Lissa and I were our own little family. I couldn't love him the way he wanted because he was like my brother! It would have been cruel of me to lead him into thinking he could be with me, only to hurt him. I told him to leave and was fully prepared to die in Spokane. Mason made the choice to come back for me, and in all honesty, I wish he hadn't. I wish Mason would have left and let me die because I don't deserve the shit my 'friends' are giving me right now." Everything came rushing out in such a hurry. I had lost control of my emotions. "If this is how you and Lissa are going to treat me from now on, go for it. But just remember that I got your ass out of Spokane alive. I was the one who has been there for all of you as the strength you didn't have. Lissa's family died right in front of her. If she would have let me die, you would have never had to worry about me. You would never have lost Mason. But you never would have had the memories we made either." I had been through enough and wanted nothing more than to get away. I carefully pulled the needles out of my skin and stood on shaky legs. I walked, unsteadily, to the door and opened it. Before exiting, I turned to Eddie. "I hope you're happy now, because I'm not. Have fun knowing you just killed me." Then I turned away and walked out. I have had plenty of practice sneaking out of places so it wasn't hard for me to get away from the infirmary without being caught. I wanted to be alone for a while, so going back to my room was out of the question. It was the most obvious place to look for me, aside from the gym. So, instead, I went to the one place that nobody would think about. I went to the old guardian cabins on the edge of the wards.

I walked to one that was in better condition than the others and gently pushed the squeaky door open. Then I went inside and closed the door behind me. The winter weather was starting to lighten up, but it was still freezing, and I was outside in booty shorts and a tank top with no shoes for Christ's sake. So I walked inside and got something to eat, because luckily the cabinets still had some parishable food items. I cooked some mac and cheese in the microwave before walking over to the bed and sitting down. The place was kind of dusty, since it had been so long since it had been used, but it was actually a really pretty place. I finished the mac and cheese, threw away my trash, and washed the dishes. Yes, I understand it may come as a shock, but this isn't my first time in a kitchen. I can secretly cook, but nobody knows about it, aside from myself obviously. After washing the dishes and cleaning the cabin a little, I went over to the bed and changed the sheets for a clean set I found in the closet. After that, I changed the blankets and fluffed the pillow. Then I layed down under the thin blanket and realized how cold it was in the room. So I went back to the closet and got a few more thin blankets, before grabbing the comforter as well, and went back to the bed. After having 5 very thin blankets and a massively thick comforter, I crawled into the bed and let the new-found heat caress my body. As I laid there, I thought of how much I had changed, and of course about Dimitri. I imagined what it would feel like to have his arms embracing me in a way that wasn't sparring. I didn't like seeing Dimitri as the stoic warrior at all times. I loved and cherished those precious moments when his mask would fall and I could read his emotions like a book. Finally, after many hours of thinking about how I wanted to change some of my past, I was able to succumb to the unconsciousness and fall into a deep, restful slumber.

I was slowly brought away by the faint sound of footsteps and then the door being opened. I didn't really wake up, and fell back into the sleepy haze, until someone had me crushed against their torso.

"My God Roza, don't ever do that to me again."

I knew that voice! It was Dimitri. My cell phone had never been returned to me in the infirmary, so I didn't have a time or date.

"What happened Comrade? What's wrong?"

"Roza, the guardians have been looking for you for two days solid."

"What?! Two days? Tell me you are joking."

I looked up into his eyes and saw the terrified glimmer and the relief that burned so brightly in his eyes. He wasn't joking. Wait, this is Dimitri. He never really jokes. But I still loved him. He pulled me close again, crushing me against him, and it was welcomed. I had, apparently, spent two solid days sleeping and I was alone. Then, everything from Lissa to Eddie came rushing back to me. Everything happened because I fell in love with Dimitri. Like I had a choice! We were made for each other, even with the age difference and us both being guardians one day. I remembered the horrible feeling of being alone, without my friends. Unexpectedly, I pushed away from Dimitri, rose to my feet, and ran out of the cabin. I heard him rise to follow me, and I heard his screams for me to stop, but I kept going until I reached my dorm room. I threw the door open and slammed it closed, locking it before Dimitri could get inside, and began to throw random amounts of clothes in my backpack (which I had emptied of all school related contents). Then I put in the few reminders I wanted to keep with me and cherish for the rest of my life, seeing as how I may never return here or see the ones I love again. I could hear Dimitri banging on my door and yelling for me to "open up or come out." It ripped my heart to shreds to ignore him but I had to get out of here. Maybe, someday, I would be able to hold Dimitri in my arms again. But, at the moment, I couldn't risk his life. Since becoming a 'Huntress', I had become the biggest threat to Lissa and Dimitri. I had to leave to keep them safe.

The banging on the door was getting louder but farther apart, meaning he was putting force into trying to open it. He was going to ram my door down. I quickly grabbed my secret 'cash stash' from my mysterious father over the course of 18 birthdays/holidays/school ceremonies. Sure, the money would tide me over for a little while, but it would be nothing compared to having my father there. My mom had abandoned me to the academy and my father had never even bothered to be in my life, as far as I knew. I could hear my door frame cracking now, so I stashed everything I had into my backpack, zipped it up, and ran for my window. I threw it open just as Dimitri busted down my door. I gave him one last sorrow filled look that contained a wistfulness of the life I longed to have with him. Then, as if he saw what I would do next, I jumped out the window. I lived on the third floor, so it was a long drop, but when I impacted with the ground, I landed on my feet and rolled, just like Dimitri had taught me. I looked up over my shoulder at him, and saw the one thing that shattered my battered soul. I saw a lone tear roll down his face and fall, where it landed on my heart.

"I love you." I whispered to him before turning and running.

I didn't know where I was really headed, I just knew I had to get out of sight, get into the trees and run until I was intercepted by the fence. There, I would climb over and run as far as my feet would take me. I didn't know where I would go, or why I was even running, but I knew I had to get away to protect the people I loved most. After running for a few hours (silently thanking Dimitri for all the running, and building my stamina) I finally came to a stop in a small clearing. I hadn't packed any food or water, and I was getting thirsty and tired from exhaustion. I had to keep going. I had to make it to Missoula tonight, get a bus to Seattle, and then a plane ticket to Russia. I remember Dimitri once telling me about his family, and how the Belikova women knew of all the legends that were lost to our people in the modern world. Surely, they would know all about the Huntress legends. Maybe they could help me! Yes, that is what I would do. Dimitri had long said how he wished to return to Baia and see his family one day, but he would never leave his charge, he would never leave Lissa because he knows how much she means to me, even if I'm not there. He would stay and protect her for me. For all they knew, I was dead by now. I would stay that way. I would disappear and change myself to keep them safe.

Hours later, at a walking pace, I made it to Missoula. I went to the nearest store and bought a bright blonde hair dye kit and some colored contacts. I bought enough snacks and food to get me through the night and the long journey that would ensue tomorrow. I mean, I am going to Russia. I found a cheap motel room that would get me through the night. After a shower that turned my muscles into jelly, I went to the bed and immediately fell into a peaceful slumber that was dreamless. As I slept, I swore I could hear Dimitri calling for me. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and run back to him, but I had to know how I could keep them safe.

_**Let me know what you guys thought! Sound off in the reviews!**_

_**~ShadowhuntingDamphir2014~**_


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